Sold-out indicator for vending machines



March 1, 1966 J. J. HILL SOLD-OUT INDICATOR FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I m .HUIIHHHminimum...

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JAMES J. HILL March 1, 1966 J. J. HILL SOLD-OUT INDICATOR FOR VENDING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1964 L I W WHUHIliummi- I 1\/VENTOR. JAMES J HILL 25 HHIHIM United States Patent 3,237,744 SOLD-OUT INDICATOR FOR VENDING MACHINES James J. Hill, Hialeah, Fla., assignor to Marian Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,671 6 Claims. (Cl. 1941) the drawing, or the successive vending of other commodities requiring a like mechanical movement corresponding to each commodity vended.

Prior devices of this general character required an independent counting mechanism for counting the total number of vends and a separate mechanism generally adapted to return coins deposited therein when the vending mechanism is sold-out.

The present invention includes a rotary means directly coupled with and driven by the vending mechanism which visually indicates the total number of vend cycles made and including a means for releasing a shutter for closing the coin entry and displaying a sold-out sign when the machine is emptied which construction is a principal object of the invention.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a single rotary indicator member for indicating the number of vend cycles coupled by a gear train to the vending mechanism whereby a predetermined rotation of the member will correspond to the total quantity of commodities vended including means responsive to the said member for releasing a shutter for closing the coin entry and displaying a sold-out sign.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a gear train driven by a vending mechanism for rotating an indicating member which may be manually set for a predetermined number of vends and including a blocking mechansm for preventing the insertion of further coins when the said number of commodities have been vented.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of atypical manually operated vending machine in reduced scale.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross section view taken thorugh section line 33, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 44, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken through section line 6-6, FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is the same as FIG. 2 in changed position.

FIG. 8 is the same as FIG. 6 in changed position.

FIG. 9 is the same as FIG. 5 in changed position.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference is had to applicants co-pending application, Serial Number 364,453, for Coin Actuator for Vending Machines, which describes in detail the vending machine for applying laminations, which includes a casing 1 and a manual operating knob 2 adapted for one revolution for each vending cycle, a coin slot 3 and a display window 4 adjacent thereto.

A customary coin reject button 5 and a coin return cup 6 completes the general description of the typical Patented Mar. 1, 1966 ice vending machine. Referring to FIG. 2, a drive wheel 7 is journalled in casing 1 and adapted for predetermined rotation for each cyclic revolution of operating knob 2. A friction wheel 8 is journalled on a fixed shaft 9 which is secured to chassis 10, which is retained in casing 1 by screws 11-11. A pinion 12 is coaxially secured to wheel 8 as shown and meshed with the first gear 13 of a train including three gears 13 and three pinions 12 which are retained on shafts 14, 15, and 16 secured in chassis 10, better shown in FIG. 3. The output pinion 12 of the train is meshed with a gear 17 journalled on fixed shaft 18. A rotor or disc 19, journalled on shaft 18 is provided with an indices scale on one side thereof calibrated in number of vens from Zero to a predetermined maximum.

In a particular embodiment, the gear train represents a ratio of to 1 from wheel 8 to disc 19 and assuming that each successive graduation on the scale on disc 19 represents ten vending cycles then each cycle of the vending machine is adapted to rotate friction wheel 8 four revolutions.

Referring to FIG. 3, a spacer 20 is coaXially retained on shaft 18 between gear 17 and disc 19 with the latter urged inward by a spring C washer 21. Thus the disc 19 may be manually rotated in deference to the gear train by overcoming the friction between the disc and the spacer 20. An opening, shown in FIG. 2 as a radial recess 22 in the outer periphery of disc 19, represents the sold-out position of the scale .and other functions to be hereinafter described.

A trigger member 23 is pivoted on an offset 24 of chassis 10 by screw means 25 and is better shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The trigger member has a projection 26 formed normal thereto and is normally retained in the position shown in FIG. 6 by a spring 27 biased between the trigger and the chassis 10 with the projection 26 urged against the outer surface of disc 19, as shown.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, a shutter or slide 28 is journalled for free reciprocation against the inner wall of casing 1 guided by member 29 secured to casing 1 with the lower end thereof resting on the right hand end portion of trigger 23 as shown, when the latter is in position for machine operation. Referring to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 and when disc 19 rotates to the position where recess 22 registers with projection 26 of trigger 23, then the trigger will assume the position shown in FIG. 8 by the action of spring 27. Simultaneously the slide 28 will descend by gravity to the position shown in FIG. 9 and cover the coin entry 3 and present the sign sold-out which is impressed on the outer surface of slide 28 into view through window 4 thus preventing the insertion of a coin and signifying to the customer that the machine is empty.

In operation and under the assumption that the disc is positioned whereby the offset 26 of trigger 23 is resting against the disc and aligned with the zero graduation thereon and the slide 28 in its upper position resting upon trigger 23 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a coin deposited in slot 3 will release the vending mechanism for operation which requires one turn of knob 2. This movement will rotate drive wheel 7 and transmit say, four revolutions to friction wheel 8. This will rotate disc 19 a predetermined small angle representing one vend cycle.

Since the scale on the disc 19 is intended to correspond with the entire capacity of the vending machine then each vend cycle will move the disc an equal angle until the last vend cycle is reached at which time the recess 22 in disc 19 will register with projection 26 and trigger lever 23. Then under the influence of spring 27 the trigger will move to the position shown in FIG. 8, and release the slide 28 for descent to the position shown in FIG. 9 closing the coin slot 3 and displaying the sold-out sign through window 4.

It is now apparent that the disc 19 may be manually preset with respect to the gear train to correspond with any predetermined loading of a number of commodities for a corresponding number of vend cycles.

.It is to be noted that in certain machines where the successive vend cycles must be closely synchronized with the disc 19, the friction wheels 7 and 8 may be changed to gears to insure precise synchronization.

It is understood that certain other modifications in the construction, utilizing the features above described, are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination counter and sold-out device for a vending machine comprising a means forming a casing,

an indicating rotor journalled for rotation in said casing and including equi-spaced indices thereon corresponding to the total number of vending cycles of said machine,

a drive wheel journalled in said casing adapted and constructed to be rotated by said machine through a predetermined angle for each vending cycle thereof,

transmission means coupled between said wheel and said rotor for rotating the latter a predetermined equal part of said indices for each cycle of said machine,

a sold-out recess in said rotor,

a trigger means pivoted in said frame normally bearing against said rotor and adapted and constructed for a portion thereof to move into said recess when the latter is registered therewith,

a coin entry means in said casing for receiving a predetermined coin for operating said vending machine each said cycle,

a shutter means movably secured in said casing for movement from a normal position at one side of said entry means in latching engagement with said trigger means to a sold-out position over said entry means when said trigger means is moved out of said engagement into said recess,

means for urging said shutter means into said sold-out position whereby said indices on said rotor will indicate the total successive vending cycles of said machine and the registration of said trigger means with said recess will permit said shutter means to move to its said sold-out position for preventing the insertion of a further coin in said entry.

2. The construction recited in claim 1 including a display window means in said casing,

a sold-out sign on the outer surface of said shutter means normally positioned on a portion of said shutter at one side of said window means whereby the release of said shutter into its said sold-out position will move said sign into visibility through said window.

3. The construction recited in claim 1 including a frictional coupling means between said rotor and said transmission means whereby said rotor may be manually rotated with respect to said transmission to indicate on said indices a predetermined number of vending cycles prior to the registration of said trigger means with said recess.

4. A sold-out indicator for a vending machine, comprising: a casing, an indicating rotor journalled for rotation in said casing, said rotor having a sold-out opening in the face thereof and a plurality of indices thereon corresponding to the number of vending cycles in said machine; drive means in said casing for rotating said rotor responsive to completion of each vending cycle of said machine; trigger means in said casing including a member having a first portion normally bearing against said face of said rotor for movement into said rotor opening when said rotor opening is registered with said first portion, and a second shutter restraining portion spaced from the first portion and movable between a shutter restraining position and a shutter blocking position responsive to entry of said first portion into said rotor opening, said drive means, said rotor and said trigger means operably associated and positioned so that the rotor opening will be registered with said trigger first portion after the vending machine has completed a predetermined number of vending cycles; a coin entry in said casing for receiving a predetermined coin for operating said machine through each cycle; shutter means mounted in said casing and operatively related to said trigger means shutter restraining portion for movement between a normal position spaced from said entry means to a sold-out position blocking said entry means responsive to movement of said trigger means to prevent the entry of a coin in said machine when said machine has completed a predetermined number of vending cycles.

5. In a vending machine of the character described, means forming a casing; a rotary member in said machine adapted and constructed to rotate through a predetermined angle when said machine is operated for each vending cycle; a gear train in said casing driven by said member; a vend indicator disc journalled for rotation in said casing engaged with and driven by said gear train at a predetermined reduced ratio, said disc having a peripheral sold-out recess and a plurality of equally spaced radial indices thereon related to a fixed reference position in said casing for indicating the total number of vending cycles of said machine whereby each vending cycle of said machine will advance said disc a predetermined angle with reference to said reference position for indicating the number of vending cycles of said machine; a trigger lever pivotally secured in said casing, spring means biased between said casing and said lever for urging a portion of said lever against the periphery of said disc; means forming a coin entry slot in said casing; and a shutter means movably secured in said casing and normally latched on said lever in a normal position adjacent said slot and movable to a displaced position over said slot when said portion of said lever is registered with said recess and moved therein by said spring means.

' a 6. A sold-out indicator for a vending machine comprising a means forming a casing,

a rotor journalled in said casing adapted and constructed to be rotated a predetermined angle for each vending cycle of said machine,

said rotor having a sold-out recess therein,

a coin slot through said casing for receiving a coin for operating said machine,

a window means in said casing for displaying a sign,

a sold-out slide journalled for gravity descent and normally positioned above said slot and said window means,

said slide having a sold-out sign imprinted thereon normally positioned above said window,

a lever pivoted in said machine for movement from a normal position bearing against said rotor and holding said slide in said normal position against the action of gravity,

means for urging said lever into said normal position whereby the registration of said lever with said recess will permit movement thereof into said recess and disengagement from said slide and permitting the latter to descend by gravity and block said coin entry and display said sign in said window when said disc has rotated through a predetermined number of said predetermined angles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,745,254 1/1930 Green.

LOUIS J. 'DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION COUNTER AND SOLID-OUT DEVICE FOR A VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A MEANS FORMING A CASING, AN INDICATING ROTOR JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION IN SAID CASING AND INCLUDING EQUI-SPACED INDICES THEREON CORRESPONDING TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VENDING CYCLES OF SAID MACHINE, A DRIVE WHEEL JOURNALLED IN SAID CASING ADAPTED AND CONSTRUCTED TO BE ROTATED BY SAID MACHINE THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGLE FOR EACH VENDING CYCLE THEREOF, TRANSMISSION MEANS COUPLED BETWEEN SAID WHEEL AND SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATING THE LATTER A PREDETERMINED EQUAL APART OF SAID INDICES FOR EACH CYCLE OF SAID MACHINE, A SOLD-OUT RECESS IN SAID ROTOR, A TRIGGER MEANS PIVOTED IN SAID FRAME NORMALLY BEARING AGAINST SAID ROTOR AND ADAPTED AND CONSTRUCTED FOR A PORTION THEREOF TO MOVE INTO SAID RECESS WHEN THE LATTER IS REGISTERED THEREWITH, A COIN ENTRY MEANS IN SAID CASING FOR RECEIVING A PREDETERMINED COIN FOR OPERATING SAID VENDING MACHINE EACH SAID CYCLE, 